Dutch Dominance: Netherlands Secure Historic World Cup Win Against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens

Stunning Victory at Eden Gardens

The Netherlands delivered a commanding performance at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, demolishing Bangladesh by 87 runs, with Paul van Meekeren leading the bowling attack with impressive figures of 4/23.

Match Highlights

After winning the toss, Dutch captain Scott Edwards chose to bat first, with his team posting 229/10 in their allotted 50 overs. Edwards himself led from the front with a crucial 68-run innings.

While the Dutch batting was measured and methodical, they managed to build their total through key contributions from Wesley Barresi (41) and Sybrand Engelbrecht (35). Bangladesh’s bowling effort saw Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Mahedi Hasan each claim two wickets.

Bangladesh’s Struggles

In a post-match reflection, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan acknowledged their poor performance, stating that while they bowled well, their fielding was sloppy. He noted that they should have restricted the Netherlands to 160-170, and admitted that their batting has been poor throughout the tournament. Despite the disappointment, Shakib emphasized the need to finish the tournament strongly.

Historic Achievement

The victory marked a historic moment for Netherlands cricket, as it was their first time winning twice in the same World Cup. Their success was built on a strong lower middle order performance, disciplined bowling, and exceptional fielding, making it a memorable first game at Eden Gardens in this World Cup.

This victory follows the Netherlands’ earlier stunning upset over South Africa in the tournament, though their campaign has been challenged by inconsistent top-order batting performances and a significant 309-run defeat against Australia.